The thirty-four solo sailors go up in the Bay of Biscay towards Lorient, with Xavier Macaire in charge of the pack.
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The exhilarating hours of gliding gave way to a scowling sea as the mark passed facing Cape Moras in Spain on Tuesday morning. No more cavalcade, no more pleasure of speed under spinnaker from the Rochebonne plateau. It was now necessary to get into the tough, shoulders arched in oilskins. The long 290 mile road to Lorient, the end of their first stage, announced its pain. A progression upwind, the wind and the swell of two meters in the nose. With the crest of badly hemmed waves.
Read alsoSolitaire du Figaro: Xavier Macaire first in Spain
First at this West Farallones buoy, ten minutes ahead of Pierre Leboucher (Guyot Environnement-Ruban Rose), Xavier Macaire (SNEF Group) was therefore the first to send the genoa to start his leaning climb across the Gulf of Gascony. With undoubtedly in mind his first victory in the Solitaire on the first section last year. It was then his tenth participation.
This day is not pleasant, we are at the lodge and it is banging in the waves. Nothing to do with yesterday’s clothes rack
Tom Laperche
Well back in the game after a problem, the leader of the start of the race, Tom Laperche (Bretagne CMB Performance), had regained his superb: “This day is not pleasant, we are at the lodge and it’s hitting the waves. Nothing to do with yesterday’s clothes rack. I spent a lot of energy last night with something in saffron. The boat was unmanageable under spinnaker while lying in the water. It took me an hour for it to recover well. Losing distance on the leaders. But there, I go back slowly. I am in good shape because I slept well and ate well. It is important to remain lucid until the end. “
A little behind the group of leaders, Alexis Loison (Normandy Region) was not overly worried. He knew that new level crossings would mark their journey. With among others, three zones prohibited to navigation for firing exercises of the French Navy. Right on the way to Lorient: “We have 25 knots of established wind and it’s really wet. I don’t know what my ranking is, but I know that Xavier is four miles ahead of me. As we are advancing at 7 knots, my delay is not too serious. And I have time to rebuild myself. The idea is to go quickly so as not to lose more ground. And then, there are still edges to be drawn and therefore a way to rebuild. For now, my plan is to go through the middle of the zones. But that can still evolve. I’m going to have to go and rest by finding the right autopilot setting to be fresh at important times. ”
The first expected in Lorient on Thursday morning
A cable and a half from his bow, Éric Péron (French Touch) was also struggling to catch up a little behind, cursing himself a little: “Faced with the choppy water, the sea is not very easy. I would like it if I went faster. I don’t find myself very quick. Sailing with comrades allows me to stall in speed. Earlier I went to take a nap and got knocked out. I am as close as possible to the road and there will still be transfers to be made. There, I am aiming for the Brittany point. It’s all about timing. As we move forward, we have to redo the routings. ” The first, the most resistant, are announced for Thursday morning in Lorient.
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